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We wanted to take the Arts of the Craft tour offered at the Grand Californian last December when we stayed at the hotel but we didn't get the chance. We made sure that we didn't miss it this go 'round. To take the free tour, sign up at the Guest Services desk in the lobby. There is a tour everyday at 2:30 p.m. You don't even need to be a guest of the hotel to do it. It starts in the Great Hall, pictured above, and you get to find out about the history of the Arts and Crafts movement that inspired the hotel's design.
One of the cool stops during the tour is a look inside the exclusive Napa Rose restaurant. Since the Napa Rose no longer serves lunch, the restaurant was empty when we went in for the afternoon. Even in the afternoon, the kitchen is full of activity as the chefs prepare for the evening meals. An upcoming Wallpaper of the Week will feature a cool shot of Disney's California Adventure from the main dining room.
One of the last stops on the tour was a look at the gates that lead from the hotel to the Downtown Disney shopping district. Our tour guide actually went and closed over one of the gates to show the blue moon design incorporated into it. The tour, which lasted about an hour, was well worth it, especially for the price. I would highly recommend taking it if you have the time.
Whenever we go to the resort for one of these special occasions, we try to do something we've never done before. In addition to the GCH tour, we decided to splurge and enjoy the Fantasmic dessert buffet from the balcony of the Disney Gallery. You can call to reserve tickets up to 30 days before the night you want to attend. The seating itself is first-come, first-serve and a line for ticketholders starts forming on the patio of the Disney Gallery up to an hour beforehand. Kathy and I were second and third in line. Seating begins 30 minutes before showtime. The above picture is the "spread" that they set out. There are a variety of sweets, cheeses, fruits and soft drinks to choose from.
There are two rows of seats separated into a left and right section. Each party is seated individually, and since we were among the first, we got to sit front and center of the right side. The view is probably the second best, after sitting at the railing near the Rivers of America, but becomes nicer thinking that you didn't have to stake your spot hours and hours beforehand. A speaker that rises out of the ground at the river's edge was the only real visual impairment during the performance.
The dragon effect was particularly cool from the higher vantage point. You really got to see Maleficent rise above the island before transforming into the impressive creature. From the balcony, you could appreciate the size of the dragon and the scope of the fire it breathes. Attending the first of the two nightly performances, it was my understanding that we were supposed to be allowed to stay on the balcony to see the fireworks afterward but we were asked to leave as soon as the show was over. Kathy liked the show and felt it was worth the $41 each person. I thought it was well worth doing it once and might consider it worth it for future special occasions but when you consider that the cost is nearly the price of a one-day admission, it didn't seem to be equal to a full day's magic at the park to me.
Part of each year's anniversary events is finding a "traditional" gift for ourselves. The first year was paper, so we had our profiles cut out and framed at the Silhouette Shop on Main Street. Second year was cotton, so I bought Kathy cotton candy and had our picture taken with the mound of spun sugar in front of the castle. Third year is leather and this was a difficult gift to find. The resort actually had very little leather goods at all. Frontierland had leather key chains or bracelets but that was about it. We decided on this leather cosmetic bag that we found in the gift shop of the Grand Californian. We needed a bag like this anyway since we usually use a Ziploc bag for our toiletries when we travel but we thought this was especially appropriate because it had the GCH logo on it - a symbol of our trip and one we'll always think about everytime we use it.
We had a wonderful time on our special weekend. Kathy and I love enjoying one another's company and that is our true gift we share each anniversary. Staying at one of the Disney hotels, we always take it easy, immerse ourselves in the magic and remember that we were "started by a mouse." Perhaps next year we'll spend our anniversary at the Grand Californian again. Or maybe we'll return to the Disneyland Hotel. Or how about a trip to Walt Disney World? We haven't decided yet but wherever we decide to be, it is great for us to know that we'll be spending it together.
- Story and Photos Matthew Walker
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